The present invention generally relates to hacksaws and more particularly to a hacksaw in which one or more perishable hacksaw blades are conveniently stored and accessed.
Hacksaws having a tubular beam that is disposed between front and rear handles are well known in the art, as is the use of the hollow cavity in the tubular beam for storing one or more perishable hacksaw blades. A threaded fastener was typically employed to couple the tubular beam to the front handle; the threaded fastener was generally slipped through a hole in one side of the front handle and threadably engaged to a hole in either the opposite side of the front handle or the tubular beam. The fastener was located in the center of the tubular beam and would extend through the tubular beam. The threaded engagement of the fastener into the handle or the tubular beam would therefore not permit the hacksaw blades within the hollow cavity to move forwardly out from the front handle. Accordingly, if an operator desired to withdraw a hacksaw blade from the hollow cavity, it was necessary to first loosen and back off the fastener.
While subsequent generations of hacksaws have incorporated a friction-fitting cap to cover the aperture in the front handle to thereby guard against the infiltration of chips, dust and moisture into the hollow cavity of the tubular beam, there remains a need in the art for a hacksaw in which one or more perishable hacksaw blades are more conveniently stored and accessed.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a hacksaw having a handle, a beam and a plug. The beam is coupled at an end to the handle at a connection and defines a blade storage cavity that is configured to receive a perishable hacksaw blade. The plug is selectively coupled to at least one of the handle and the beam to inhibit the hacksaw blade from fully withdrawing from the blade storage cavity. Ingress of the hacksaw blade to and egress of the hacksaw blade from the blade storage cavity are obtained without altering the connection between handle and the beam through the removal of the plug.
In another preferred form, the present invention provides a hacksaw having a handle, a beam, a fastening member and a plug. The beam is coupled to the handle and defines a blade storage cavity that is configured to receive a perishable hacksaw blade. The fastening member has a body and fixes the handle and the beam to one another such that the body is positioned relative to the beam in a manner that permits the hacksaw blade to move into and out of the blade storage cavity while the fastening member secures the handle to the beam. The plug is employed to selectively close off at least a portion of the blade storage cavity to inhibit the hacksaw blade from exiting the blade storage cavity. The plug includes at least one resilient finger that is configured to engage the body of the fastening member when the plug closes off the blade storage cavity.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.